The Stars in Her Eyes
by LadyZelthePen
Summary: Rose Tyler-Smith is tired of running, but that's all she seems to be good at anymore. If only her running would keep her away from a man who's haunted her dreams for years, a man she just can't seem to escape from no matter how hard she tries... Doctor.
1. Chapter 1

While this isn't the first time I've ventured into the realm of Doctor Who, it's the first time I've attempted anything quite so large. Quite a bit of thought went into this project, and while I'm hoping to update it regularly, I'll probably end up getting to it sporadically at best. But, fear not! I'm very much in love with this project, and I absolutely adore the Doctor and Rose. 3

This is not a reunion fic, by the way. Not to be mean to the poor Doctor, but the version we all know and love isn't getting any love in this story. Sorry y'all.

Big thanks to WhoMe2 for letting me bounce this idea off her- you're amazing, love!

And, I don't own Doctor Who or any of the characters therein; BBC owns all of that. I only have title to the people of Kalloway. :)

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><p><strong>Chapter One<strong>

There was only one place he knew of where he could watch the stars unashamedly. Strange for him, or others might think, to want to stare up at the open skies and watch the tiny pinpricks of light held therein. All of time and space were laid out at his feet, and he still chose to lay back in the grassy fields of Kalloway and stare upward at all of the what if's and could have been's. Those few moments of time when he had the chance to lay back and let time idly pass him by were more precious to him than anything he could have seen or done in the thousands of years he had stretched out before him. Even so, he still felt the effects of his curse pressing down on him, even when he sought to escape it all in a moment of un-tampered bliss. Of course he had the freedom of illusion- time could stand still if he thought about it hard enough- but it never compared to the real thing. He couldn't stop time, or reverse time, or have a do-over. For all the glory and power held up in his being, he still faced the bone-chilling realization of when time had simply run out.

And, as he lay in the gently waving grass of Kalloway, he knew his time was coming. The Cure had come to him at last, and he had already planned out how to use it. After all those years of fruitless searching, he finally had it. And whatever happened after these few, blessed short moments of peace he had left, he was going to end it.

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><p>The people of Kalloway, little as they were, carried all the solemnity of the Asgardians and all the ferocity of the Na'vi. Looking at them for the first time, he hadn't seen much of their potential, but over the years the small dwarfish humanoids had proven their mettle again and again. The first two times he had visited the natural planet, he'd kept mostly out of sight, he and the TARDIS. The people were only just used to having strangers visit, but he knew their superstitions regarding anything of a superior build than their own primitive mortar and pestle tools. Never before had anything like the TARDIS come upon their world, and he knew seeing it would tragically shake them to the hundredth generation.<p>

He'd done well enough keeping his TARDIS hidden out of their sight, but the people of Kalloway were perceptive and it wasn't long before the great blue box was discovered and declared a relic of godly proportions. When they discovered he was the owner of the box, they had a shrine built in his honor and named him the first official One Worthy of Respect. He would never admit it to the faces of his worshipers or to those of his peers, but he enjoyed the attention. It wasn't every day one was declared a god, even if he already carried the title of Time Lord. The TARDIS was moved into a special room inside the shrine and the great stone door sealed shut behind it.

The shrine was convenient, even if it was built by such primitive beings. It made for good appearances and disappearances; no one ever ventured into the Sacred Room except for him, and the room was only able to open from the inside. The people's belief in his status as a god was constantly cemented in their minds by his appearing at their most sacred festivals each spaced tens and hundreds of years apart. Of course he was always welcomed there, and he oftentimes found himself more than the center of attention, particularly at the festivals hosted in his honor. More often than not, he was presented by whatever current chief's daughter as a potential mate, even if it was for one night, and more often than not, he gave in to their demands. It was considered a great honor for the women, and he really did revel in the glory of it all.

Since the people of Kalloway were suspicious of strangers (he still laughed at their primitiveness- they had blindly accepted him into their midst all those years ago), he knew it wouldn't be long before some unfortunate being stumbled across the natural planet and was overtaken by the small humanoids. It was his final trip to Kalloway- the five hundredth anniversary of his arrival, to be exact- and he wanted to make it count. Of course there was a festival, but he'd long ago learned to give up keeping track. This one was something about lanterns, but he didn't quite grasp the actual reason. Even so, he smiled and waved when he had to, reclining on dozens of silken shawls and pillows with one of the Kalloway women at his right.

He'd long given up keeping track of all their names, even though he knew they would be offended. Ah well… He tipped his head back, glancing up at the diamond points above him, and then refocused on the festivities going on. It was a smaller affair than some of the others he had been to- the last one he'd attended had been fifteen times this size, and he later learned he'd been drunk for a week straight. Still, the people knew how to throw a good party. He smiled down at the woman in his arms, noting distinctly how she was more than a little intoxicated. Well, he knew how this night was going to end. Shrugging a little, he pulled her a little closer, and she half hiccupped, half-giggled in reply.

The twin suns of Kalloway had just bowed their last, the final light of their bodies disappearing from view beneath the grasslands. The brightness of the lanterns increased, and a great, wordless cheer arose from everyone gathered. He joined them in their gleeful cry, raising his cup toward the darkened sky above. Nighttime was such a strange occurrence on Kalloway; the stars were visible all day long and into the night, even with the two suns eclipsing their light. He exhaled slowly, one hand idly tracing a pattern on his mate's shoulder in feather light touches. She shivered beside him but drew closer all the same. It was a comforting thing; all this heat around him, and he dearly hoped it would help ease the deep cold that had settled within his chest where his hearts should have been. He knew better, of course, but with well over a thousand years stretching behind him, he'd become practiced at pretending the cold didn't exist.

Right when he thought the fire in his belly couldn't get any warmer, the chieftain of the clan stood up. Everyone straightened, forgetting their food and drink- himself included, because it was the polite thing to do- and the man began to speak. The language of the Kalloway people was really a series of guttural clicks and grunts, but the TARDIS was good about translating. Even so, it hadn't taken him very long to make sense of their words.

"Gathered friends, we are here to once again celebrate the arrival of our esteemed guest, who continually seeks to grace us with his eternal and holy presence." The man turned, arms extended, and the blue tinted scales around his eyes glinted in the fire light.

He leaned back against the pillows once more, letting his arm drop from around the shoulders of his mate. She edged forward- chieftain's daughter was expected to pay strict attention to her father's words- completely ignoring him. He'd heard this type of speech before countless times; it happened every year at these events. Truth be told, the speech making was getting a little boring. So why did he keep coming back? He smiled lazily. Only because the Kalloway people knew how to throw a good party.

His gaze flicked over to the great bonfire in the center of the wide circle. The chieftain's shadow rose up in the flames, dark and menacing. The heat from the flames was comforting, matching the heat in his belly from whatever concoction they had provided him with this time. The flames danced, and he felt his eyes getting heavier. Not a good time to go to sleep, but he could be excused…later. The embrace of the heat from within and out was too much; he felt it closing in on him like a welcome cocoon. Ah well…let it take him. After today, he wouldn't have the luxury of feeling any kind of warmth for a long time.

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><p>He woke up to the sound of something oddly familiar, but his sleep and alcohol-drugged mind couldn't quite place it. The next instant, he could feel the atmosphere change around him. No longer were the friendly little people listening intently to their chief's speech or laughing at drunken jokes, nor were they calling out for more food or drink, or whatever else it was they could possibly want or need at these events. Cracking an eye open, he looked toward the chief, but the small man was looking at something else just out of his line of sight, one of the fiercest scowls he'd ever seen on his face. The chief was holding a spear now, the shaft raised high and waiting. Around him, the warriors present had tensed and looked ready to spring at his call.<p>

His gaze flicked across the great bonfire in the center of their festivities and did a double take. There were precious few things left in the entire universe that could honestly surprise him, but this… This was something else entirely. He ignored the annoyed squeak of his mate as he got up, pushing her away in favor of staring at the figure in the flames. He immediately placed the noise that had woken him, wondering why he hadn't recognized it instantly. There was only one TARDIS in all of the universe that made that sound.

His movement caught the chieftain's attention, and the little man gave him a sharp nod. Walking up as close as he dared to the fire, he tucked his hands inside his suit pockets and stared for a moment. "Oi there, old girl, what are you about? Get out of that fire before you burn yourself to a crisp." He glanced back and around at the tense and waiting people, fully intending to have a serious talk with his TARDIS much later. Glaring at the familiar blue box covered in red, he folded his arms. "What are you doing in there when you're supposed to be inside?"

At that moment, the double doors flung open, cutting off the flames on either side to create a solid and clear path, and a woman tumbled out straight into him. The force of it knocked him back with her landing square on top of him, and for several seconds, he was staring into the hazel eyes of what he then considered the greatest enigma to ever cross his path.

"What are you?" he breathed out, and then the woman was pushing away, a look of shock and disbelief crossing her features. Human, definitely, he could tell; pushing off the ground, he kept his gaze trained on her.

"Abomination!" the chieftain cried out, lowering and raising his spear with great gusto. The warriors responded in kind with a wordless shout, some of them surging forward toward the woman. She finally tore her gaze away from him long enough to realize the danger she was in, but the people were already surrounding her and grabbing onto whatever they could hold. They pulled at her roughly, and her voice lifted to mix with theirs, but the words were lost in the general noise.

"ENOUGH!"

The chieftain froze and turned slowly, eyes wide and the blue-tinted scales at his neck flaring. He raised the spear slightly, and the cacophony of voices died suddenly, all eyes trained on him. His attention was fixed solely on the woman, and her brown eyes couldn't have been wider. He slipped his hands in his pockets and took a few steps forward.

"As your Official One Worthy of Respect," he said, turning his gaze to the chief, "I decree this woman and her relic to be neither an abomination nor a disturbance. She is my mate."

As with anything else, none of the Kalloway people questioned his word. They backed away from the woman, some cowering in what he could consider respectful fear. The chief narrowed his eyes but still didn't speak. He walked forward, extending one hand, and fixed her hazel orbs with his own. She continued to stare at him, moments bleeding away painfully slowly, and then something in her eyes changed and she slipped her hand in his. He would say later the electric shock he'd felt when their hands met hadn't startled him at all, but most everyone knew by then he was fibbing.

"Doctor," she said softly as he pulled her closer, wrapping his other arm around her waist. "Rose Tyler-Smith."

He nodded once and looked back to the chief. "As my mate, I hereby declare Rose Tyler-Smith to be shown the same hospitality and respect I have been shown, therefore making her your second official One Worthy of Respect, one more of the female variety."

He grinned at her, ignoring the pained expression that crossed her features when the people let out a great cheer. He didn't bother to notice his previous mate's huff of frustration and the pure jealousy registering on her face.


	2. Chapter 2

About time I updated this, huh? :P You know how life is; you get a great idea for an amazing story, and then BAM! Life comes at you like a fast ball from nowhere, hitting you between the eyes. Ah well... Still working on this though ;)

I still don't own anything, except my own ideas. The Doctor, Rose, the TARDIS, and Amy all belong to BBC, but Phil is mine :)

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><p>Chapter Two<p>

Her thoughts were usually straightforward and clearly defined, but today she felt like her mind was a train on a crash-course. Waking up that morning to the familiar nuisance of an alarm clock- the very same one he had placed on their bedside table years earlier- was the beginning pebble to send her on the rock slide of unwanted emotions and memories. For all her life, Rose Tyler-Smith was not one to embrace normalcy, and yet here she was staying in the same house with the same furnishings and the same empty feeling, wrapping it all around herself like an old sweater that itched but couldn't be let go of.

Dragging herself out of bed proved to be a harder task than facing down an army of Daleks or Cybermen (or both), and when the alarm clock had begun its third round of coded extremities did Rose finally throw off the heavy blush-colored douvet and slap a hand over the little electronic device, shutting it up like she did on so many other mornings. And then, she sank back down on the edge of the bed and stared around at the darkened room.

The walls were still painted that obnoxious blue he'd picked out way back, the color they both laughed about and loved even if it drove her crazy seeing it morning after morning, the color that brought fresh hope and pangs of loss all in one second. They'd fought over the color of the bed coverings, and it really wouldn't have felt like home if she didn't have a little pink. Finding the set that almost matched her set back in her old room in the other universe was hard, and they'd stopped at seventeen different stores in four different time eras, but she finally found the one. He'd admitted hating it, and complained and whined the whole way home, but she smiled when he snatched the package away to unwrap it himself and put it on the bed. The rest of the room was fairly plain, except for the odd collection of photographs they'd collected over their years together. She'd considered packing them away in the attic, anything to keep from looking at all those smiling faces so oblivious and happy.

Somehow, she never found the time to actually do it, and so every morning she found that old scab picked at once again.

Phil was in the kitchen as he always was on these mornings; the coffee pot was full and steaming and a plate of buttered toast sat ready on the table. The older gentleman turned with a smile and nod, and a warm greeting.

Rose yawned. "Morning Phil… Mail come in yet?" She sat down heavily in the closest chair, watching Phil- sweet Phil in his ever crisp black tux- stir some powdered cream in a coffee mug.

He set it down in front of her, along with the sugar dish and an extra spoon. "Not yet, ma'am, but it shouldn't be too much longer."

For a few moments, the only sounds in the sunny kitchen was the clink of the spoon as Rose stirred some sugar into her coffee, and Phil's barely audible humming.

"You know what, Phil? Don't even worry about the mail today… It'll be there tomorrow too, and the next day, and the next…" She trailed off, gaze shifting to the bay windows overlooking the garden. ThePh tulips were getting taller again, and the bushes needed trimming. Overall, her garden looked as if it had become a part of that show on the telly, Abandoned and Haunted Homes.

"Oh… So you're really going through with it this time." Phil turned to face her, wiping his hands on a towel and then setting the bowl of strawberries beside the plate of toast in front of her.

"Doing what, Phil?" Rose raised one eyebrow- she'd gotten good at it- and tried not to yawn again.

"You're really leaving this time. You've always talked about it, but I guess this time you really mean it. I can hear it in your voice, ma'am." He smiled at her, though the expression looked sad on his old face.

Rose cocked her head to the side. "Yeah, I s'pose I am…" She looked up at him and forced a smile. "You've been so good to me, Phil, these past thirty years. But I just can't stay anymore, y'know? I just…" She stopped, feeling the familiar burn in her eyes whenever she pursued this particular thought. "He's not coming back," she added in a small voice.

"No; Master John has been far and away for quite some time." Phil nodded slowly, and then he crossed around the table to place a hand on her shoulder. "I've enjoyed every moment in this house with you, ma'am, and I wouldn't trade a moment of it for anything else."

Rose laughed a little despite the tears now openly running down her face. Briefly, she was glad she hadn't put any make up on that morning. She reached up to take Phil's hand, wrinkled and thin as it was, and gave a gentle squeeze, which he returned.

"I'll help you pack, ma'am. I take it everything will be remaining upstairs?" There was an odd, sad twinkle in his eyes, and Rose could only nod in reply. Phil smiled and patted her shoulder before moving away toward the door. "Finish your breakfast, ma'am; I won't have you doing anything on an empty stomach."

Rose finished her coffee and a bite of toast, and then climbed the stairs back to her bedroom to change, leaving Phil in the kitchen to wash what few dishes there were at his insistence. She flung on a simple t-shirt in gray and jeans, and then tied her hair up in a loose bun. Her feet she left bare, except for the red polish she'd applied the week before that was just starting to chip.

And then, Rose walked across the hall to the door.

She paused in front it, one hand curling around the doorknob as a knot of sadness tightened around her heart. Squaring her shoulders, she flung the door open and strode to the middle of the room where the TARDIS sat enshrined by multitudes of tools and other tidbits strewn about the floor. Gaze fixed on the great blue box, Rose stepped around the mess on the floor almost as if it wasn't there and laid a hand on the white lettering.

"Hey, old girl," she whispered, and though there wasn't an obvious response, a small part of Rose tightened and warmed deep inside. She smiled a little, and then shook her head. Looking around, she seemed to notice the mess for the first time. When Phil came upstairs minutes later, he found the door the room open and most of the floor cleaned. Rose was finishing putting her most necessary tools in the metal box; when she saw the older man, she smiled and dusted her hands off while standing.

"Where would you like to start, ma'am?" he asked, clasping his hands behind him.

"I suppose the bedroom, if that's alright." She tucked a stray blonde strand behind her ear. "I'm not going to need much from the rest of the house."

With a nod, he turned back toward the door, but Rose's hand on his shoulder gave him pause. "Phil… You've been good to me. I hope you consider this your home here," she said.

"Of course I do, ma'am. There's no place I'd rather be than right here with you." His smile brightened for a moment, and then he sobered again. "I will miss you, ma'am."

"I know you will, Phil. I'd like it if…you would consider staying here. I'll need someone to look after this old place while I'm away, so I'd hoped you wouldn't mind doing that for me. I know it's a big house, and not at all how you wanted to retire, but its home. You won't have to worry about paying anything; with all the tinkering John did here…" She trailed off and swallowed past the lump in her throat. "Anyway, you're not obligated to stay, Phil. I just thought maybe-"

"Ms. Rose, I'd be honored to keep house for you until you return."

The words brought warmth to her heart, and she smiled again. "Thank you, Phil. And I'll make sure your salary is paid for in advance. I don't know how long I'll be gone."

He smiled; words weren't needed.

The two made quick work of packing the necessities from the bedroom; Rose's closet was emptied quickly, and the TARDIS created a large enough space to hold her wardrobe in a stylish and functional space. She smiled a little when she saw the fast work the old machine had done, but her smile faded when she saw the adjoining room. A lump formed in her throat and tears blurred her vision, but she wouldn't cry. Phil was still around, and besides… It was only a bedroom. So, it looked exactly like the room they had shared back in their time traveling days, back when it was just the Doctor and Rose in the TARDIS, just as it should be.

Overall, it was beautiful.

She didn't linger too long in the room, painted a deep red that was relaxing or the mahogany floors that reflected the soft lights spaced evenly on the walls. And overall, she ignored the circular Gallifreyan writing just over where the bed should be, the words she felt were written in the depths of her soul.

With Phil's help, the bed was moved into place and remade- though Rose decided she would have to go shopping for a new blanket set. Pink just didn't go well with red, despite her love for the old blanket. He didn't say anything about the color or décor of the room, but she thought she saw his eyes soften when he looked around, and then he nodded slowly.

Everything else moved quickly, and the TARDIS helped. She rearranged the layout of the rooms so everything was in easy reach. In less than twenty minutes, they had finished.

"Well," Rose said when she and Phil were standing back outside the TARDIS doors in the otherwise empty, sunny room. Just her toolbox remained; the idea of leaving sent a pang through her heart, but Rose pushed it away. "I guess this is it."

"So it is ma'am; and I wish you the best of luck in all your travels." Phil smiled warmly, despite the note of sadness in his voice.

"Oh, come here you." She opened her arms in a hug, and ended up breathing in the scent of fresh bread and mint that was distinctly Phil. "I'm going to miss you, Phil."

"And I'm going to miss you, ma'am, more than I can say. You take care of yourself, understand? I won't have you neglecting your health."

Rose laughed, swiping at her eyes. "Yes sir!" She picked up her tool box. "I'll make sure I stop by to see Amy before I go anywhere else; I promise."

Phil nodded. "You do that, ma'am. And I'll be here waiting for you when you return."

Even though he didn't say it, Rose heard the extra words. _If you return._


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

_This is it. I've entered the Nightmare Zone. _Rose crossed her arms and watched the Doctor- not her Doctor, never hers- dance around the TARDIS console, looking every bit as she'd previously known him. Right down to the stupid white trainers, every detail of him was perfect. She'd been certain her first trip solo would have taken her somewhere exotic, exciting, and definitely not dangerous- somewhere like The Library. She'd been there before, and it'd been fun navigating the maze of books. But no, her TARDIS had somehow taken her to Kalloway, and what she'd thought would be her certain doom the moment she stepped outside of the doors.

She was still certain this was her moment of doom. Three hours since she'd landed amidst the Kalloway people's great bonfire and celebration in honor of their One Worthy of Respect, and she was still flabbergasted. How her TARDIS had managed to pick that exact spot at that exact time when that exact Time Lord would be present, Rose would never know. Just to show her ire, she glared at the offending bit of machine, muttering "cheeky."

Rose knew this Doctor, whatever version he was, was more than a little curious about how she had a TARDIS. The way he'd stared at her when she'd toppled into him following her entrance had meant something; if she had to guess, he wouldn't give up on this little puzzle the universe had just handed him. So, she tried to prepare herself as best she could for the stream of questions that would no doubt come sooner rather than later. And yet, here she still was three hours later and the insufferable man hadn't said more than two words to her. Those two words being, "Let's go," as they waved farewell to the Kalloway people, stepping inside her TARDIS. She'd thought about saying no, he couldn't go inside, but he had just saved her life after disrupting a holy festival. Whatever.

"So, that's it then?" she asked, causing the man in question to look up sharply from where he was tinkering with her console. "You're just going to waltz inside my TARDIS and configure and calibrate whatever your little hearts please?"

The Doctor pulled the sonic screwdriver from his mouth. "Since when is it your TARDIS? And just where in the universe does an ape like you get a TARDIS anyhow?" He narrowed his eyes at her before going back to whatever he'd been messing with. The TARDIS herself didn't seem too bothered by it all; ever since he'd walked inside, she'd been humming softly and pleasantly.

Rose rolled her eyes. "Wouldn't you like to know," she muttered, and then cursed his superior Time Lord senses when he perked up again.

"Yeah, I would!"

"Well, you're not going to!" she shot back, pushing away from the railing and stomping over to him. "Look, Doctor, there are certain rules to this universe, and one of them is asking permission before you go messing with other people's things. Now, get out."

"I'm sorry, what?" he asked, scrunching up his face just a little in that way she found endearing and completely annoying all at the same time. At this exact moment, it was more annoying than anything.

"I said, get out." Rose poked him in his skinny chest, pushing him back a little bit each time until he was backed up against the console. "I don't want you here, I didn't ask for you to be here, and goodness knows what you've been doing to my TARDIS!"

He opened his mouth to reply and snapped it shut again with an audible click, and then Rose found herself staring into the slightly buzzing light of the sonic screwdriver.

"What are you doing?" she shrieked, grabbing his wrist so the device went clattering across the grated floor and rolled to a stop in front of the doors.

"Odd," he muttered, narrowing his gaze at her, and then he leaned closer to stare into her eyes. "Where in the universe did you come from, Rose Tyler-Smith?"

Rose gaped at him. "What kind of question is that, anyway?" She turned away and retrieved the sonic, and then pushed the door open. "Out with you now; no more Doctors in my TARDIS."

But the skinny man didn't move; regarding her with such an intense stare, she was reminded of the first Doctor she had met so long ago. _He told me once, about his changing bodies and all... The one I met was his ninth. _Rose swallowed. _Talk about deja vu._

Hands in his pockets, the Doctor slowly walked up again, with the horrifying swagger she found so darn sexy. "I'm sorry...did you say, 'no more Doctors? Isn't it a bit strange to be saying that to the one and only Doctor? Obviously you know who I am, but I don't know you...at least not yet. Maybe your timelines are getting mixed up." He paused, searching her face for something, his dark gaze flitting across her in hopes of unlocking her soul. "But no... You, Rose Tyler-Smith; this is the definite first time we have met, isn't it? And if so... You know another version of me."

"You're absolutely mental," she said, but her voice shook.

The Doctor leaned closer again, and she took a step backward, bumping one of the doors. "And what is that in your eye?"

"My..? That's my eyeball, you idiot." Rose crossed her arms.

"Funny how apes like you never notice these things..." he muttered, more to himself than her. He snatched the sonic from her hand and studied the readings. "Now that is weird..."

"Would you just stop that?" she shrieked, snatching for the screwdriver again, only to have the Doctor dance out of reach to the other side of the console and flip a few switches. The TARDIS rattled for a moment and then came to life in full force with the loud hum that signified she was moving. "What are you doing?" Rose grabbed onto the rails next to the doors, staring at the Doctor with horror.

"I reckon you, Rose Tyler, came from Earth! Probably around 2004!" He laughed and pulled a lever. "Am I right?"

"You are bloody mental, that's what you are!"

Rose screeched, covering her head with her arms as the TARDIS emitted a shower of sparks from the console and then died down completely.

"Well, here we are! Earth around 2004, around May, I believe." He adjusted his jacket and looked at her. "Shall we go?"

She slowly stood up on shaky legs. "We are not going anywhere. I am not going anywhere with you! And damn it all, Doctor! What do you think you are doing flying my TARDIS?"

He sniffed, his nose scrunching just a little bit. "I'm finding out about you. That's the thing about messing with Time Lords and their technology, Rose Tyler-Smith. We are a curious bunch, and we don't take kindly to having our toys taken away." Grinning, he moved past her to the doors and pulled them open. "Ah yes... Its definitely May. I can smell it in the air. Ooh, a garden!"

Rose groaned and slapped a hand on the console. "I'll be back for you later," she muttered before stalking out. Glancing around, she was somewhat horrified to see her own garden greeting her with its happy flowers and trimmed hedges. "Oh Doctor...what have you done?"

He turned to face her, still grinning that stupid grin. "Isn't this wonderful, Rose Tyler-Smith? A whole garden of cheery flowers just waiting to say hello."

She stomped over to him and pointed a finger in his face. "Doctor, I don't care who you are or how important you think you are. You are going to get out of here right now, or so help me-"

"Ms. Rose?"

Ice settled in her veins, and she turned slowly to look at Phil. Rose forced a smile and waved. "Hi, Phil...I'm back."

His gaze switched from her to the lanky man next to her, and his mouth dropped open. "Master John," he whispered, his voice hoarse. "But..."

"Master John?" The Doctor's eyes lit up with that mix of confusion and complete brilliance when he was trying to figure something out.

"Yes, alright!" Rose walked over and grabbed Phil's wrist, turning and pulling him toward the house. "Doctor, get inside, thank you very much. I'm putting some tea on!"

* * *

><p>"How long have I been gone, Phil?" Rose whispered, stirring her spoon in slow circles in the mug. Her gaze, however, was fixed on the lanky man flitting about the kitchen scanning everything in sight with his sonic.<p>

"Only since this morning, Ms. Rose." Phil clasped his hands together, watching her with concern. "How is it...Master John can be here now?"

She looked at him, expression grave. "That's not John; fartherst person from John, the be exact. Alright, so he looks like John and sounds like John, and he acts like John, but that man there..." Rose closed her eyes, taking a shuddering breath. "That man is not my husband."

Phil nodded slowly. "I can't tell you I understand it all, Ms. Rose, but I will take your word for it." He lowered his voice, glancing at the Doctor. "What do you plan to do now?"

"Right now..." She looked over at the Doctor again, who was examining the toaster. "I don't know, Phil... I really don't know. I didn't want him here, didn't want to see him at all. I was... I put that part of me in my past. I'm..." She took a shuddering breath. "I can't handle this right now," she whispered hoarsely.

Phil put a hand on her shoulder comfortingly. "If its any comfort, I can see to it that Mast- I mean, the Doctor stays well away from you until you can sort this out."

"Thank you, Phil." Rose smiled up at him, blinking past the tears in her eyes, and patted his hand. "You mean the world to me."

"Hello!" The Doctor waved at them from the doorway. "Yes, I noticed some of your appliances are not quite up to their potential, so I took the liberty of upgrading them. Anyhow..." He put his hands in his pockets, rocking back on his heels. "I trust you two are done discussing me now."

"Oh God..." Rose turned away, crossing her arms over her chest. "You think you're something real special, don't you?"

"I don't have to think about it, Miss Tyler-Smith." He grinned cheekily. "I know I am something special. Now... If you are both finished, I was hoping to discuss you, Rose."

"Excuse me? There's nothing to talk about, Doctor, because you are not staying and-"

He moved faster than she thought was possible, although she knew better than to be surprised. One second the Doctor was standing in the doorway very nonchalant, and the next he was driving a kitchen knife into her stomach.


	4. Chapter 4

So I was so excited about the last chapter I completely forgot to add in the very important disclaimer and author's note. So...

*ahem* I do not own Doctor Who, the Tenth Doctor, Rose, or anything else that makes an appearance or is mentioned in the show. But I do own Phil. ;)

A/N: Wow! This story is by far one of my favorites I've written so far, and the response to it has been amazing! I love all of you so much! Without you guys, I probably would have given up on this story a long time ago. So, here's to all of you, dear readers! ^_^

Now... This chapter was difficult, mostly because of the insane cliffhanger from the last chapter (sorry about that...), but I wanted to stress something VERY important to keep in mind. The Doctor I'm writing about is extremely different than the Doctor we all know and love from the show, so he is going to do and say things differently than the real Doctor would probably do and say. Its been hard writing him differently, but for this story to work, he is not the same loveable Tigger we love.

There's still a lot more story to come, so stick with me! Its going to be a wild journey. ;)

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><p><strong>Chapter Four<strong>

"What have you done?" Rose took a step back, pressing a hand to her stomach while trying to ignore the feel of slick blood on her fingers. It wasn't the first time something like this had happened, but it was hardly comforting. Even now, she was aware of the burning sensation that was building up in her heart and traveling down, down, down...

She closed her eyes and took a shallow breath through her nose. Phil was shouting something, and the Doctor was only gleefully silent. Funny how she could tell the mood of his silence. Rose tipped her head back to stare at the ceiling, tears gathering in the corners of her eyes and making paths down her cheeks. She didn't have to look down to know; the orange light was eclipsing her sight. "Step back!" she gasped. She heard a scuffle of shoes, and then there was a roar in her ears almost like the oceans against the rock cliffs on Henrios IV.

When the light had faded, Rose sagged against the wall, eyes closing again. Every second of this nightmare just got worse and worse, and now...

"I can hardly believe it," the Doctor whispered, taking a step forward, his eyes wide. "You have pure vortex energy inside of you."

Rose bit back a groan and glared at him. "So what? It doesn't matter what's inside me, you big idiot. Now why in all of time and space would you go and stab me for?!"

He didn't answer right away, gaze far away like he was deep in thought. And then his eyes lit up like he'd stumbled across something huge. In Rose's mind, she knew he had.

"You're Bad Wolf," he said.

She felt her blood run cold. "No, I'm not."

The Doctor stepped closer again, and she noticed the bloodied knife still in his hand. Rose took a step back, only to bump into the wall. "I knew there was something odd about you. So...how long have you been living, Rose Tyler-Smith?"

"This is an outrage," Phil cut in, grabbing the Doctor's skinny shoulders and pulling him back. "How dare you come in here and start making assumptions about Ms. Rose? I-"

The Doctor whirled on the man, eyes flashing. "How dare I? Good sir, I just stabbed your mistress, who has all the energy of time and space living inside of her, with this knife," here, he waved the object in front of Phil's face. "So what makes you think I am unwilling to do the same to you, a lowborn human, no better than the stupid apes you descended from. I am the Doctor, a Time Lord of Gallifrey. I am the Oncoming Storm; how dare you stand and challenge me?"

"Doctor!" Rose shoved herself between the two men, pushing them back with a hand on each one's chest. "Enough...both of you!" She dropped her hands and sighed, and then straightened her shoulders and turned a steely gaze on the skinny man. "Doctor, I should have pushed you out those TARDIS doors the moment I saw you- I should never have even let you in those doors! That is my TARDIS, and this is my home, and I will not let you waltz in here and turn my life upside down." She poked his chest as she spoke, keeping his gaze. "I don't care if you are the last Time Lord in the univers, I don't care if you're the Oncoming Storm. You are not my Doctor, you are not my husband, now, get out of my house, get out of my life. I don't want you here anymore!"

She pushed him back toward the door. His expression changed from barely concealed rage to outright confusion bordering on an idea, but Rose didn't let up. "Get back in that TARDIS," she growled, pushing him one more time so he stumbled backward through the door and into the garden. "And strap yourself into one of those chairs, because I am taking you right back to where I found you and I am going to dump you out in the middle of that Kalloway festival, and I am going to leave and never look back. And I hope I never have to look at your sorry face again."

His eyes widened considerably, and then the Doctor did something Rose never expected, stabbing her put aside. The Doctor closed the gap between them, grasping her arm by the elbow, and kissed her. The knife dropped to the grass with a dull thud and his other hand lifted to tangle in her blonde hair.

Rose's eyes widened when his mouth met hers, but... He was kissing her. The Doctor was kissing her, and it was everything and more she had ever known and imagined. Her knees trembled, and despite the rage she'd felt seconds before, Rose felt her resolve slipping away faced with the passion and tenderness he was showing now.

This wasn't her Doctor; he never was and never, ever could be. But... Her eyes slipped closed, and she pressed closer. Just for a second, it was like all the times John had held her, kissed her, _loved _her.

She ignored the weight pressing down on her mind until it was too late, and then the blackness swirled in and she was falling.

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><p><em>"Rose...sweetheart... Wake up." A hand gently shook her shoulder, and then brushed her hair away from her eyes. A kiss was pressed to her forehead, lightly. She moaned and rolled over, right into her husband's arms. <em>

_"What time is it?" she mumbled, snuggling closer to him. _

_"Oh, you know... Eight."_

_"What?" She shot up and stared at the clock on the nightstand. "John, you were supposed to get me up half hour ago!" Rose scrambled out of bed and pulled open the closet door, gaze scanning across the rows of clothing they shared. _

_"Actually, my dear... The alarm clock was supposed to wake you half an hour ago." He grinned at her, propped up on the bed with one arm. His hair was mussed, like she'd spent the entire night just running her hands through it. _

_Rose huffed and tossed a pair of jeans at him. "Get dressed, you big idiot! We're going to be late!"_

_John fell back on the bed, laughing. Rose rolled her eyes and gathered an armful of her own clothes and dashed into the bathroom. "Stupid Time Lord...doesn't know how to read a clock!" she mumbled, pulling jeans and a t-shirt on, and then dragging a brush through her hair. She stopped and stared at her reflection._

_John was just finally pushing himself out of the bed, jeans in hand, when she stormed back out of the bathroom and smacked his bare shoulder._

_"You.. Ugh!" Rose grabbed her pillow and whacked him across the head, trying not to laugh, because his laughter was so darn contagious. "Why did you wake me up at eight a.m. on a Saturday?" _

_"Because...ah, Rose... Your face!" he said through gasps of laughter as she fell across him and tickled his unprotected sides. She squealed when he returned the favor, shoving her over so they were side by side, sheets tangled. When their laughter had died down, John tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear and traced her face. "I love you, Rose Tyler-Smith."_

_"And I love you, John Smith," she whispered, closing the gap between them to kiss him._

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><p>Rose sat up with a gasp, the leftover cobwebs of whatever forced coma she'd been put under falling away as the realities of the actual world came back into clear focus. She was back in the TARDIS; her own TARDIS, if she wasn't mistaken. And she...was handcuffed to the jump railing.<p>

"Doctor!" she yelled, moving so she was kneeling, one arm suspended by the metal cuff around her wrist. "Doctor, answer me!"

A clang alerted her to his presence on the other side of the console, and then he peeked around it. "Oh, right, good! You're awake." He stepped out fully, pocketing his sonic. "I was beginning to worry, actually."

She stood up and took one step forward, only stopped because of the restraint. "What were you thinking back there? And why in the world are we back in the TARDIS? Where's Phil?"

"Alright, alright! Calm down.." He blew out a long breath, running one hand through his hair. "First, I needed you to come with me without making a fuss. Second, I couldn't very well attempt time and space travel without a TARDIS, so..." He cleared his throat. "And third, Phil is fine. He's with his granddaughter."

"Amy," Rose stated, and then shook her head, looking about. "I can't believe you..."

"And you, Rose Tyler-Smith... I can't quite believe you." He walked closer, circling around her and then stopping so they were face to face. "How is it that a mere ape like you managed to take in all of the energy of time and space from the vortex to rearrange your own basic biology, and live to talk about it?"

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Well, Doctor... If you're so smart, why don't you figure it out?"

"Is that a challenge, Ms. Smith?"

"It is."

"Very well." He turned, long coat flaring out behind him, and retreated to the console, more specifically, one of the upgraded computer systems located therein. It was something John had installed, with the help of a more than agreeable Jack Harkness using Torchwood tech. "I already did a scan of your basic biology; mainly the chemical make-up of you, and from what the results are telling me... You're not from the this universe, are you Rose?"

He looked over at her, no doubt expecting an answer. Rose crossed her arms, or attempted to, and remained silent.

"Right. Naturally, I had to conclude you came over to this universe through the means of portal jumping, which means there's a multitude of other universes out there all stacked up like a deck of cards. Quite brilliant, if I do say so. And! If there are other universes- which there are- and you are from our closest neighbor- and you are- then you had to have been in touch with someone who knew the dangers of jumping between universes."

The Doctor paused again, staring at her critically. Rose met his gaze straight on.

"And since you've mentioned 'the Doctor' quite a few times since we ran into each other, I have to conclude that each universe comes with the same exact people lined up in the same way time-line-speaking, and that you were closely acquainted with this particular Doctor. More than acquainted, if your own words have anything to say about it."

"The Doctor and I were never 'acquainted'," Rose spat, glaring at him. "We were friends, s'all."

He shrugged. "Proves my end conclusion; since you were only friends, he didn't care enough to come back here to get you, just dumped you out on some alternate universe to hang and dry."

"He loved me!" she shouted, whole body trembling. "And how dare you talk about him like that? You're nothing like he was, and he..." She stopped, tears blurring her vision. "He loved me."

"Seems to me like its the other way around, Ms. Smith." The Doctor was in front of her now, hands in his pockets and watching her. "You loved him."

Rose swiped angrily at her eyes. "Yeah, and so what? Why would you care anyway? I don't even know what you want with me!"

"Aha! You see Rose; you tell me I'm nothing like this other Doctor of yours, and maybe you're right... All I know is I see something very special in you, something very precious that he obviously missed." He paused, grinning. "You have all of time and space running through you. You're Bad Wolf, Rose...and you're going to help me win the Time War."

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><p>And, end of chapter! Kind of short this time- at least I think so. But I do love a good cliff-hanger, and the emotions in this chapter were a lot. So... Yeah. There will be more to come later, I promise!<p> 


	5. Chapter 5

Wow! About time I got this chapter up and running, huh? Well, life has been crazy and this chapter was a beast to write. Honestly, I wasn't really sure where it was going until I smacked in to the hand. But... Here it is now! :)

As always, I don't own Doctor Who, the Tenth Doctor, the Alternate Universe, Rose Tyler, or Gallifrey. However, any mention of Phil in this chapter and the Healer are my own characters. And I do not make profit off any of this. :)

Enjoy y'all!

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><p><strong>Chapter Five<strong>

Rose blinked. "You have got to be kidding me," she muttered, shaking her head. The Doctor cocked his head to the side, studying her in that narrow-eyed gaze she was so acustomed to. Still, seeing it on this man before her was disconcerting. "Doctor, there is no Time War!"

"Aha! That is where you are wrong, Rose." He almost grinned gleefully, a hint of a maniac visible in his brown eyes. "Whatever universe you came from, things are different here. Time lines are different... The Time War is still raging on around us, Rose. And I am going to end it." His expression had changed, hardened into something she was not used to seeing on that face.

"Doctor..." She stepped back, pressing up against the railing while the cuffs dug into her wrist. Everything was so wrong here; and now her mum's words came back to mind. _"You're always running around, getting mixed up with God knows what kind of people. And what kind of life is that? You're never going to settle down! When am I going to see the daughter I used to know?" _

Rose closed her eyes and took in a shallow breath. When had her life become one big tangled up mess? The answer was obvious; she could pinpoint the exact moment her life had started, the moment her mother referred to as the beginnings of a train wreck. It was the exact moment this man- her Doctor- grabbed her hand and whispered one word to her: "Run."

"It all makes sense, now," the Doctor was saying, his gaze still fixed intently on her. "I was circling the earth when the TARDIS picked up on those strange readings, when the walls of the universes ripped apart. That was fifty years ago, Rose Tyler-Smith, the exact moment you entered this world."

She shook her head. "You have no idea-"

"No, I know exactly what was happening! I wasn't circling earth for nothing, Rose. I know about the cybermen and the Daleks you sent into the void, and I know about those of your team who were dimension-hopping. I just didn't have time then to fully investigate."

"Okay, y'know what? Fine." She glared at him. "I was 'dimension-hopping', as you so kindly put it, and yeah, it was a blasted fifty years ago! And yeah, the Doctor and I banished the Daleks and Cybermen into the Void, because I wasn't about to let them wreak havoc on this world or mine."

"Bravo for you, then, Bad Wolf. And now, you can save the world again." He folded his arms across his skinny chest, studying her in an almost detached manner. "The Daleks are wreaking havoc on my world, and Gallifrey will fall unless I do something."

"Yeah, and what did you have in mind?"

His gaze was cold, almost blank, and that scared her more than all the rage she had ever seen on this man's face. "I was going to destroy everything; all of Gallifrey, all of the Time Lords, and all of the Daleks. I would kill them all to end this. But now... Now I have you. And you, Rose Tyler-Smith, have all of time and space running through your head. You are Bad Wolf, the very same thing that created this TARDIS and my TARDIS, and all the other TARDISes in the universe! And I know you can create life and destroy it, and I will have you destroy the Daleks for good."

The words sent a chill down her spine. Rose shook her head slowly. "You're insane, Doctor... I would never kill."

"But you already have, Ms. Smith. You knew precisely well sending all those other Daleks and Cybermen to the Void would kill them; you have no problem at all with ending life because you know bloody well you can just as easily create something later. And maybe that's why your damned Doctor had no problem dumping you here all those years ago- because he couldn't stand how immoral you'd become."

"Shut up!"

The echo of her scream died away, leaving an empty silence she knew wouldn't last long. But she didn't care, because how dare_ he _speak of such things he didn't know about? How dare _he _shame her? How dare _he_ speak of her Doctor, her love, her only bright star in an inky sea of darkness? _How dare he? _

* * *

><p>The Doctor stared at the quivering form of the woman before him. She looked so small, so frail, so much like the mortal she was, a life that would slip away in the blink of an eye. And yet... Seeing her like this was so wrong. Rose Tyler-Smith had already proven to him she was a lioness in human form. <em>No; she's Bad Wolf, which is even more terrifying. <em>

A knot around his hearts tightened, and he swallowed. He didn't like the way this felt, this new feeling that yawned and stirred deep inside. But he couldn't tear his gaze away from her, despite the horrible thing waking up in his chest. Her hair had fallen forward, veiling her face from view, and her shoulders shook with quiet sobs. Her left wrist was still suspended in air, chained to the railing, but with her other she was hugging herself tightly. Like she was trying to cave in on herself, to be as small as possible.

He forced himself to swallow; a lump in his throat made it nearly impossible, but he still couldn't look away. How could he? This woman- this insignificant, mortal woman- had more feelings wrapped up in her than most apes he met. Not that he met many to begin with, but those he had encountered were most definitely not as... He couldn't even think of a decent enough word to describe this one Rose Tyler-Smith.

"...ahem." He dug his hands in his pockets, squashing down that annoying feeling threatening to drown him. "Ms. Smith, if you'd kindly stop your sniveling now. I think we could really talk about this like two civilised peoples."

She slowly lifted her head, hair parting only a little to reveal the red-rimmed eyes and the black trails of mascara down her cheeks. "I don't want to talk to you, Doctor..." Her tone was flat for a moment, and then she snarled at him. "Go to hell!"

"In that case," he said softly, once again ignoring every bit of sense screaming at him to just walk away, just leave her _alone... _

_But of course not_, his conscious mocked him. _You're always mucking everything up all the time. _He ignored the voice, of course. It was what he always did. He stopped beside her, staring down at her blonde hair, and idly noticed her brown roots were visible. Odd.

And then he reached down and pressed his consciousness against hers, and watched her slump over yet again in a deep sleep.

* * *

><p>When Rose woke up again, she found she was no longer chained to the railing in the TARDIS. In fact, she found she was not in the TARDIS at all. Gone was the comfortable and familiar humming the old machine always made, along with whatever clanks and groans usually accompanied it when they were in motion.<p>

She groaned and sat up, staring around through narrowed eyes at the unfamiliar surroundings. Wherever she was, it was no planet she had ever seen before. For one, the structure she was in (she refused to think of the open area as a house) had absolutely no walls. There was a roof, obviously, and tall pillars supporting the roof, but the spaces between the pillars were empty, letting in the view of tall mountains and a lake that sparkled like a thousand diamonds under the sun. Tall trees that looked something like pine met her gaze on the opposite side, towering upward like giants.

Rose stared around for a few moments, taking in the scenery, and then she looked down at her clothes. No longer was she wearing her jeans and gray top and red leather jacket- those were gone. Instead she was wearing a loose dress in the lightest blue she'd ever seen, something she imagined Roman women had worn long ago.

"Oh, you're awake," a gentle voice said. Rose turned to the source and found herself staring at a woman dressed in a similar manner as she. Her brown hair was piled up on her head, kept in place by bands of gold, and her dress was a soft green. She smiled as she walked over, a tray of fresh fruits balanced in both hands.

"Where am I? Who are you?" Rose stood up, eyeing the newcomer warily.

"I am the Healer," the woman replied, still smiling though the expression had lessened some. "And you, my dear, are very far away from home, for a human." She paused, gaze flicking across Rose's face. "Welcome to Gallifrey."


End file.
